THE NEW BILLY IDOL

THE NEW BILLY IDOL

If it seems we were talking about Billy Idol’s third album, Whiplash Smile, months ago...well, we were. Just like everyone else. And—just like everyone else—we wonder why it took so long to finish.

"Everybody bothers you to death about when’s your record coming out?’” Billy says.

I’d rather they didn’t know I was doing one!”

As is his habit nowadays, Idol decided that it wouldn’t be worth his own (or his fans’) time to rush the project. Instead, he took some time ‘‘to actually live” and then base his new songs around his own experiences.

‘‘I told the people they’re gonna have to wait and I’m gonna han to live and do my recor and be someone for real,” he maintains. ‘‘This way it isn’t som, thing I tried to write in two-and-a-half weeks saying, ‘Where are wel going?’ This way I’vef kept to what directionl wanted to go, and been able to explore a a bit as well.”

Of course, since hisl last album, Rebei VelT Idol’s undergone mail changes in his personal life: he split I with his manager. Bill Aucoin, as well as hisl long-time girlfriend, | Perri Lister. ‘‘People probably think I’ve been having the happ;s| time of my life. I thought I was gonna have that as well, didn’t really work out like that. But I think that’s good—becau: if that’s the case record will reflect th and will show that not just sitting back

thinking that I’m so] big thing.” Whiplash Smile di indeed, reflect mar) the changes in Idol' life. The songs are more persona! than

ever, as Billy intended, and the new sound is, according to Idol, somewhat “changed—we’ve used slightly different rhythms. I think this is more of a rock ’n’ roll record, really.” All told, he seems to have arrived at a new contentment with his music and his approach to life nowadays. “I’ve perservered, and now I’m here when there’s not much else—which means maybe I’m here at the right time. And maybe it does show that my music lasts and it’s good—and I think that’s nice.”